Heather’s Bookshelf: Author Interview with Matthew Berkman
Book Title: Magic, Television, & Marijuana (MTM)
Released: 9/11/2020
Genre: New Adult Fantasy Fiction
Interview by Heather L. Barksdale
What inspired you to write “MTM”?
Berkman: I wish I could tell you a JK Rowling kind of story where it all hit me like a lightning bolt on a train sometime. Instead MTM came to me in pieces, partially as a reaction to certain trends in modern fantasy novels, partially a reaction to all the pop culture that surrounds us all the time, and partially an attempt to understand my own life and the struggles that seemed really common among my generation. It just felt like a story worth writing, one that kept expanding the more I worked on it.
Is there anything that you want readers to know about you, your writing process, or your book?
Berkman: The biggest point of MTM is to think about all the entertainment and art you consume. It's not to say that any work or genre is any better or worse than anything else, it's simply to think about the stories you invest yourself in and how they may truly be affecting you. Also, that I'm simply grateful to anyone who took the time to read my work.
If "MTM" were adapted into a movie, who would you like to see cast to play your lead characters?
Berkman: This is a really fun daydream kind of question. Maybe Skyler Gisondo from Santa Clarita Diet for Mark, and Elle Fanning for Hannah.
When you encounter writer’s block, what do you do to break yourself out of it?
Berkman: Honestly, for me, the best way out of writer's block is to write my way out of it. Stop putting so much pressure on the quality of the words for a moment, just start writing with the knowledge that I can always go back and edit what I wrote tomorrow.
What is your favorite book, genre, and/or author?
Berkman: Favorite Book Genre: Fantasy. Favorite Book: Infinite Jest by: David Foster Wallace. Favorite Writer: Neil Gaiman/Michael Chabon
Are there any tips that you would like to share with other aspiring authors?
Berkman: Find a writing routine and stick to it. If you work a full-time job, simply try to write a couple hundred words a day. And know that your first draft always sucks. Editing and re-writing are perhaps the most important parts of the process. Also finding an ongoing workshop or writer's group where you're comfortable sharing your work is invaluable.
What are you working on next?
Berkman: I'm currently trying to publish Sliverhead, a post-apocalyptic drug-war novel, through traditional paths. I also post a minimum of two essays a month on pop culture or politics on my website: http://matthewberkman.com/
Interested in checking out the book for yourself?
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